We cover TV stars all year at Zap2it, but as 2011 winds down, we want once again to recognize the work of som... Show More »

We cover TV stars all year at Zap2it, but as 2011 winds down, we want once again to recognize the work of some of the people whose names aren't above the title. Presenting our sixth annual list of underrated performers in television.

This year's list runs the gamut from "Game of Thrones" to "Happy Endings" and "The Big Bang Theory" to "The Sing-Off," and as with past years it's filled with people who help make mediocre television good and good television great.

As always, the rules are: No lead actors of series, no Emmy winners and no one who's been on one of our previous underrated lists. Because if we talk about how underrated you are, you can't really be underrated anymore.

Congratulations to this year's honorees, and thanks for making our jobs covering TV more fun.

You know them as: The judging panel on NBC's reality a cappella sing... Show More »

You know them as: The judging panel on NBC's reality a cappella singing competition, "The Sing-Off."

Why we like them: The three musicians have plenty of cred in the business, considering they're all still recording hit albums. But they also have what many reality TV judges lack: a musical vocabulary that allows them to critique acts coherently and eloquently. Sure, they fawn a little sometimes, but considering there's actual content in their criticisms, we'll cut them a break.

You know him as: Bobby Singer, brilliant hunter and cranky drunk, was the Winchester boys' last remain... Show More »

You know him as: Bobby Singer, brilliant hunter and cranky drunk, was the Winchester boys' last remaining ally until he died (we assume) in the mid-season finale. Of course, given the nature of the show, that doesn't mean he's not sticking around -- but we wouldn't bet on it.

Why we like him: What's not to like? Beaver has brought incredible dimension and heart to a role that could have easily been a cliche. Only an incredibly skilled actor could make it believable when this character starts rattling off poetry while talking to his demonic doppelgänger. Only Beaver -- no one else -- could have made Bobby's last word to the Winchesters -- "Idjits," -- sound exactly like an "I love you." He will be sorely missed.

Where else you've seen him: A working actor for more than 30 years, Beaver has one of those resumes that goes on forever. Among the highlights are "Deadwood," "Big Love," "John From Cincinnati" and "Harper's Island." He also guest-starred in an episode of "Justified," a role he'll be reprising this coming season.

You know him as: Emmett, a drummer and motorcycle enthusiast who prefers to interact mostly with other... Show More »

You know him as: Emmett, a drummer and motorcycle enthusiast who prefers to interact mostly with other deaf people. When his best friend, Daphne, finds out she was switched at birth, he finds himself in a new world with her -- a hearing world.

Why we like him: "Switched at Birth" was a mediocre show that became great television when the writers turned more focus on Emmett's story. Described (accurately) as the "Deaf James Dean," Emmett went from background player to leading man, perfectly portraying his long-term pining for Daphne and his new feelings for Bay. We're completely captivated every time he's on screen, and yes, we cried when he finally spoke to Bay after years of keeping his voice to himself. Cried.

Where else you've seen him: Not much! He's probably most memorable from the straight-to-video "The Sandlot 2," but "Switched" is without a doubt his breakout role.

You know her as: Dalia, a typical Regina George blonde bimbo-type with bad gas.

Why we like her: In real life, Chaikin is talented, vivacious, and sharp -- but when cameras are rolling, we pretty much think she vacates her body. Dalia is so hilariously deadpan (and dead-behind-the-eyes) that we find ourselves with the urge to fast-forward to her next scene. Co-star Jane Levy is getting accolades left and right for her breakout role as Tessa, but the biggest laughs, if you ask us, come from Dalia and her mom, Dallas (Cheryl Hines).

Where else you've seen her: While "Suburgatory" is definitely her breakout role, she also had a supporting role in Nicholas Sparks' "The Last Song" alongside Miley Cyrus.

Why we like him: The supporting characters could easily get lost beside the main characters' tour-de-force performances on "Anarchy," but stage veteran Coates more than holds his own as the violent-yet-tender biker with some ... odd predelictions. In the wake of the Season 4 finale, we would really like to see Coates get to explore Tig's feelings for Gemma.

You know her as: Ill-fated vampire Rose on "The Vampire Diaries," heiress to evil Vivian Volkoff on "Chuck" and zombie apocalypse survivor Maggie Greene on "The Walking Dead."

Why we like her: Cohan has gotten a lot of work this past year, and it's easy to see why. Even when being secretive, her characters manage to be straightforward without being hard. We bought why Damon would want to give her a last few perfect moments before staking her on "TVD" and how she could lose her way out of longing for her unhinged father's love on "Chuck." Yet, as one Zap2it staff member decribed her "Walking Dead" character: She "has a 'the world's ending so lets have sex' attitude. Refreshing."

Where else you've seen her: A cat thief specializing in supernatural objects on "Supernatural."

You know him as: The mysterious Sean Garrity/Lawrence Wooley/Professor Professorson... Show More »

You know him as: The mysterious Sean Garrity/Lawrence Wooley/Professor Professorson on "Community" and the mysterious, bowling alley owner/fixer Sam Weiss on "Fringe."

Why we like him: Corrigan has been around forever, but it's only recently that we've come to fully appreciate him. This year really helped us move past thinking of his role as "that ugly guy" Bill in "Walking and Talking" every time we see him. Middle age has imparted to him acting that falls short of gravitas but goes well beyond what's usually called for in any given script. We kind of wish we had a Sam Weiss around to help us with some of our problems. They don't even come close to what Olivia has going on so it should be a cakewalk. Sure, his "Community" character still creeps us out, but he's supposed to.

Where else you've seen him: An indie film staple of the '90s, he played Eddie Finnerty for five years on the comedy series "Grounded for Life" and had a memorable turn during the second season of "Damages."

Why we like her: As hard as it is to write a character who is naive and gullible but not stupid, it's even harder to play it. Yet Cuthbert nails Alex's special brand of innocence without making us want to send her to a room with a reading list. While she has a vague idea about what her limitations are (she knows enough to Wikipedia Nazis so she can make fun of Penny's new guy, Doug Hitler) she really doesn't care why the black fraternities were so keen to hire her DJ-ing alter ego, Alex Halley, in college. All this to say, we no longer not-so-secretly wish that mountain lion had eaten Kim Bauer during Season 2 of "24."

Why we like him: Czuchry was interesting as Alicia's competition for a position at L/G, but he's been put to much better use as an actual courtroom adversary for the folks at L/G. And his chemistry with Kalinda (Archie Panjabi, who we still would have liked to put on this list even though she has an Emmy) still makes our knees buckle a little.

You know her as: Loretta McCready on "Justified" and Eve Baxter on "Last ... Show More »

You know her as: Loretta McCready on "Justified" and Eve Baxter on "Last Man Standing"

Why we like her: She gave a wonderful performance as Loretta, the Kentucky country girl whose life was full of drama and danger at the hands of Mags Bennett and her sons. And on "Last Man," we find Eve to be consistently funny as the youngest child and tomboy of the Tim Allen-led Baxter family.

You know them as: Violet and Tate, the beautifully tragic young couple

Why we like them: There are a lot of reasons to find Violet annoying or Tate downright evil. But somehow, Farmiga and Peters are stealing the show away from the adult leads. Their characters continuously break our hearts and the pair astounds us with their acting chops.

Where else you've seen them: Farmiga only has one other credit to her resume -- "Higher Ground," the directorial debut of older sister Vera Farmiga. Peters, on the other hand, has a long list of credits, including "Invasion," "One Tree Hill" and "Kick-Ass."

You know her as: Portia Bellefleur, one of the lucky ladies to romp with Vampire Bill until he found out... Show More »

You know her as: Portia Bellefleur, one of the lucky ladies to romp with Vampire Bill until he found out they were related.

Why we like her: Ford managed to sparkle in a cast of really strong actors on a well-established show. Portia could have been a pretty unsympathetic character, with her matter-of-fact explanations about why she and Bill should have sex and her desire to keep the affair going, despite the fact that it was incest. Instead, she made us wish that Bill would have agreed. (Which is kind of gross, but as she said, vampires can't breed.) Her turn on "The Big Bang Theory" had fans clamoring for more. She is definitely one to watch.

Where else you've seen him/her: Christine Hill on "Dexter" and super-cool geek chick Alice on "The Big Bang Theory." We're about to watch her charm Crosby on "Parenthood."

Why we like him: Luke began his TV life as a sort of pint-sized version of his clueless dad, but lately he's become "Modern Family's" secret comedy weapon, alternately wise beyond his years and exactly in tune with what 12-year-old boys are like (See: interest in knives, large animals, etc.). The junior Odd Couple relationship between him and Manny (Rico Rodriguez) is one of the show's best dynamics.

Where else you've seen him: "Friends With Benefits" (movie, not series) and a couple of commercials

Why we like him: While Jim Parsons gets all the awards and Kaley Cuoco gets all the looks, Helberg delivers as many laughs as anyone on the show. As Howard, Helberg is exceptionally good at having no idea at to what is appropriate behavior around women. You'd think things would change now that Howard is engaged, but you'd be wrong. And that's a good thing.

Where else you've seen him: "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" and "Arrested Development"

You know them as: Nick, Schmidt and Winston, the dude roommates of Zooey D... Show More »

You know them as: Nick, Schmidt and Winston, the dude roommates of Zooey Deschanel's Jess.

Why we like them: Deschanel's quirky charm abounds, so the fact that her three male costars consistently bring the zany character down to earth while forging their own unique comic identities is a feat in and of itself. We also love that they're kind and not condescending to their odd friend.

Where else you've seen them: Johnson co-starred alongside Ashton Kutcher in "New Girl" creator Liz Merriwether's first feature film, "No Strings Attached." Greenfield is well known for his guest spots on shows like "Veronica Mars" and "Greek." Morris is a Second City improv vet who hosted shows on BET and Cartoon Network.

You know her as: Melissa Glaser, the least assertive of the "Secret Circle" witch coven. A... Show More »

You know her as: Melissa Glaser, the least assertive of the "Secret Circle" witch coven. After her boyfriend's death, she's become a bit disillusioned with her friends -- particularly her Queen Bee Mean Girl BFF, Faye.

Why we like her: Thus far, Melissa seems to be the least developed character on the show, but Kennedy is one of the best surprises of the 2011 season. Her work in a scene where her character was possessed by a demon was so good we were startled by her -- but she doesn't need big dramatic scenes to impress us. She's also fantastic and subtle in more casual, high-school-hallway scenes as well. It never feels like she's acting. We're hoping the second half of the season lends itself to more opportunities for us to see Kennedy turn it up a notch.

Where else you've seen her: She was Plastique -- AKA Bette Sans Souci -- on "Smallville," and she was in the original "Undercovers" pilot before being replaced by Mekia Cox. You may also remember her from short-lived series "Kaya," "Soul," and "Valemont."

You know him as: Nolan Ross, Emily's de facto sidekick and the only person in the Hamptons world who is i... Show More »

You know him as: Nolan Ross, Emily's de facto sidekick and the only person in the Hamptons world who is in on her plan to seek vengeance on the people who destroyed her family.

Why we like him: First of all, he dresses like a toddler at a Connecticut country club (and we love it), but even his triple-popped-collar hasn't landed him on any of the countless "Revenge" billboards all over town. While Twitter is abuzz with Jack vs. Daniel defenses, you can mark us firmly down on Team Nolan. His slow realization that he's in over his head with Emily (Emily VanCamp) has been magnificent, and their emotional conversation about her father last week left us shaken. Their relationship is one of the most refreshing, twisted, and well-acted partnerships on television. Plus, every time Nolan flips the switch from scheming student of revenge to his "friendly neighborhood billionaire" shtick, we get chills. It's almost as good as Emily's I-could-kill-you-by-thinking-about-it death glare.

Where else you've seen him: He played Zorn in the Jason Bourne movies, and you may remember him as Arthur Case on "Mad Men."

Why we like him: Monroe faces the challenge of being a recovering Wieder Blutbad, forcing him to deny his instincts. This proves especially difficult around Grimms like Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli), as they should be mortal enemies. Monroe gets all the great lines and looks the part perfectly. Plus, what other characters practice Pilates and play the cello to keep from killing people?

You know him as: Stiles, the very best part of MTV's "Teen Wolf." He's the sidekick who does... Show More »

You know him as: Stiles, the very best part of MTV's "Teen Wolf." He's the sidekick who doesn't get the girl and doesn't get to play lacrosse and doesn't take his shirt off, but his scenes with his BFF-turned-werewolf, Scott (Tyler Posey), elevate the series immeasurably.

Why we like him: Plucked out of obscurity thanks to his penchant for making silly YouTube videos, O'Brien has a comedic timing and a knack for dialogue that we haven't seen since Seth Cohen on "The O.C." (If you knew us, you'd understand that this is basically the highest compliment we could possibly pay a person.) He's sharp and funny, and when the story calls for it -- as it did in the emotional Season 1 finale -- he's absolutely heartbreaking. And yet, he's the tiniest little person on the Sunset Boulevard billboards. Can we get him front-and-center, please?

Where else you've seen him: On YouTube? You'll soon be able to catch his lead role in the film "The First Time" with Britt Robertson, opening at Sundance.

You know her as: Surly parks department assistant and newlywed April Ludgate

Why we like her: Early on in "Parks and Rec's" life, April was there mostly to serve as a disinterested counterweight to Leslie Knope's (Amy Poehler) boundless enthusiasm. But as time has gone on, the show has made great use of her deadpan timing, and Plaza has also found a surprising sweetness in the character. Plus, she gave us the gift that is Janet Snakehole.

You know him as: Abed Nadir, a quirky, kind of weird, probably asexual and definitely awesome member of the st... Show More »

You know him as: Abed Nadir, a quirky, kind of weird, probably asexual and definitely awesome member of the study group.

Why we like him/her: Abed may be the weirdest character on TV, and that's fun to watch in and of itself, but when he has breakout moments, they're brilliant. Remember the lizard face he used to hit on a girl? The "My Dinner With Andre" episode? When he channeled Don Draper and made Annie swoon? Also, his interaction with Troy (Donald Glover) may be the best example of bromance out there.

Where else you've seen him/her: He played Sanjay on "Greek" and Raj on "Gilmore Girls," but Abed has been his breakout role.

Why we like him: In the AMC show's first season, Daryl was just a ... Show More »

You know him as: Daryl Dixon.

Why we like him: In the AMC show's first season, Daryl was just a hot redneck who happened to be handy with a crossbow. In Season 2 his character is developing into a nuanced guy who, it turns out, has a gooey cpre underneath the "Deliverance"-inspired exterior. It also helps that he's ridiculously easy on the eyes, even if he does sometimes accessorize with zombie ears.

Where else you've seen him: Reedus starred in the cult classic "Boondock Saints" movies, in which he plays one of two Irish twins (opposite Sean Patrick Flanery) who deliver lethal justice to evil-doers. He's also a photographer, writer and artist who has a kid with supermodel Helena Christensen.

You know him as: Owen, a rogue agent working to take down Division by hunting down the "black boxes" that contain... Show More »

You know him as: Owen, a rogue agent working to take down Division by hunting down the "black boxes" that contain the organization's most confidential data.

Why we like him: Confession: "Nikita" isn't necessarily a can't-miss show for us. Unless, of course, we're anticipating a return appearance from Sawa, in which case you can bet we'll be watching, and that our DVRs have been double-checked. Owen's complicated relationship with Nikita adds a much-needed layer to her character, and his complicated relationship with vengeance keeps us grounded in the more human aspects of the story when things become a little too outrageous. We never thought the kid from "Little Giants" would be able to pull off action sequences like this, but Sawa holds his own next to Maggie Q, making crazy stunts look like second nature. Basically, we don't understand why he's not a series regular.

Where else you've seen him: Let's be real, you totally fell in love with him as Junior in "Little Giants" and you thought Christina Ricci was the luckiest girl ever for working with him in "Casper" and "Now and Then." Later, Sawa's career aged up with "Idle Hands" and "Final Destination" -- and who can forget his turn as the title character in Eminem's awesome music video for "Stan"?

Why we like her: Whether she wants to be or not, Scherzinger is the comic relief on "The X Factor." Her evaluations are unintentionally hilarious -- like the time she said the teen group InTENsity reminded her of a "little pumpkin patch of yummy pumpkins," or when she said Stacy Francis' performance "gave her wings." And when the tears start flowing, it's TV at its finest. Sure, she's no good at her job and she blew it on the Rachel Crow vote, but does that matter when you're laughing?

Where else you've seen her: "The Sing-Off," "Dancing with the Stars" and "Popstars"

You know him as: Married guy, improv class-taker and lover of twirling Brad

Why we like him: "Happy Endings" took a while to grow on us, but one of the reasons it was worth sticking with at all was Wayans, who plays straight man and goofball with equal facility and is pretty darn good at physical comedy too.

Where else you've seen him: His dad's shows "My Wife and Kids" and "The Underground," "The Other Guys" and the pilot for "New Girl"

You know him as: Oldest Gallagher brother Lip on Showtime's series about a large, dysfunctional f... Show More »

You know him as: Oldest Gallagher brother Lip on Showtime's series about a large, dysfunctional family.

Why we like him: Lip could've been your run-of-the-mill slacker punk, but White's heart-filled performance turned him into one of the most sympathetic, likable characters on the show. The formerly unknown actor has more than held his own alongside William H. Macy and series star Emmy Rossum.

Where else you've seen him: A surprising amount of roles involving troubled teens. He broke out in 2010's Chace Crawford-fronted "Twelve."

Why we like her: As great as "Game of Thrones" is, the kids -- petulant Joffrey and whiny Sansa in particular -- didn't always come off that well. But Williams is fantastic as the tomboyish but vulnerable Arya and blessed us with one of the great TV lines of 2011: "Stick them with the pointy end."

Where else you've seen her: "Game of Thrones" is the 14-year-old's first on-screen role.